NEW DELHI: The recent showdown that started during the Union Home minister Rajnath Singh”™s visit to Pakistan to attend meeting of home ministers of the SAARC countries is continuing albeit with India appeared to be altogether in a new avatar vis-e-vis Pakistan. Unlike its approach to be defensive, this time round India is offensive not only on Pakistan occupied Kashmir but also by raking up issue of Baluchistan by no other than PM Narendra Modi himself. On this, there is an uncanny response of Pakistan authorities from all quarters.
In a recent development, apparently the Pakistan government sent a message to Indian consulate in Islamabad offering to send some relief material for people of Jammu and Kashmir. But this was not only categorically rejected on Sunday by the Indian government but responded tersely taking a dig on the Pakistani authorities. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swaroop said, “India and others in the region have already received enough Pakistani trademark exports — international terrorism, cross-border infiltrations, weapons, narcotics and fake currency. We completely and categorically reject the purported communication from the Pakistani foreign ministry.”
A communication was delivered to Indian High Communication on August 12. Swaroop quipped, “I can only characterize its content that proposes sending supplies to Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir as absurd.”
The issue escalated when National Assembly of Pakistan decided to observe July 19 as black day and Burhan Bani was termed as martyr. Pakistani PM wrote a letter to the UN on the matter of J&K. India already made its stand clear on the issue of Pakistani PM writing a letter to the UN. The official Spokesperson of the external affairs ministry responded by saying, “Pakistan does not have any locus standi in addressing any aspect of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which is an internal matter of India, except to put an end to all cross-border terrorism, infiltration and support and instigation to terrorism and violence against India.” He added, “We are in touch with important interlocutors bilaterally as well as multilaterally to put across the correct picture. Let me also say it does not matter how many letters are written, it will still not whitewash cross-border terrorism.”
Earlier Prime Minister Narendra Modi apparently took up the issue of PoK and Baluchistan in All Party meeting in New Delhi after the monsoon session of Parliament got over by saying that any talk with Pakistan will start from the issue of PoK. Besides that he talked about Human Right violations and killing of Baluchs by Pakistani Army which was unanimously supported.
India appears to be offensive this time round when the External Affairs Ministry was recently asked about cross border terrorism, it responded by saying, “The capture of Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Bahadur Ali is yet another proof of Pakistan”™s continued involvement in cross-border terrorism and infiltration into India, despite several assurances that it will not allow its territory to be used for terrorism against any other country.” The MEA spokesperson further said that the interrogation of Bahadur Ali and his confession clearly revealed the details of the kind of training that was provided to such young men, the camps in which they were kept, the weapons that they were provided and most importantly the indoctrination that they undergo prior to infiltration into India.
He said that Bahadur Ali also revealed how his Pakistani handlers gave him instructions to mix with the local people, create disturbances and attack police and security forces. His confession proves that the Lashkar-e-Taiba was sending its cadre in connivance with Pakistani security forces, to fuel large-scale agitation in Kashmir. Pakistan now stands completely exposed. “We have already taken up the matter bilaterally with Pakistan, including our offer to provide consular access to this Pakistani terrorist,” added Swaroop.
